I'm building a world that blends late imperial China with D&D elements. The first major plot arc is going to be the 1644 Manchu invasion that crushed the Ming dynasty. But I'm not sure exactly what to reflavor them as to make things interesting. Here are my needs: > Either Mongol-style cavalry or fighting alongside creatures of some kind. Excellent warriors with strong military culture. > Intelligent enough to form the new ruling class/master race
I was thinking Dragonborn, but I like them better as not!Tibetans living in close-knit monastery communities with human serfs (who hope to be reincarnated as Dragonborn themselves). All the other main PHB races are accounted for except for half-orcs, but a kingdom ruled by orcs sounds like a shitshow.
Fuck it, aarakocra? Any ideas?
Ian Miller
hobgoblins maybe, they're warlike like the orcs but generally portrayed as more organised
Robert Nelson
Skillful archers riding as one with their mounts is the historical basis for centaurs.
Wyatt Jones
Seconding hobgoblin. Intelligent, militaristic, large numbers and you can easily draft in other monster allies like ogres, giants, etc.
You might also consider gnolls, but they present the same issues as orcs.
Jonathan Wilson
thirding hobbos but with orc axuillaries and goblin slaves (mamluks)
Chase Reed
orc centaurs with boar behinds. Porcotaurs
Gavin Thomas
want me to dump a bunch of chinese and manchurian images?
Josiah Hill
Mongols were primarily cavalrymen while the Manchus were capable siegers with offensive mantlets used in conjunction with heavy cavalry.
The Chinese and their steppe counterparts used the same armors so there isn't much to distinguish the two.
Jaxon Green
sure
Samuel Rivera
Veeky Forums's had a fetish for orc not!mongols for some time now
Alexander Rodriguez
...
Camden Bailey
...
Dylan Mitchell
...
Nathan Butler
...
Ethan Ward
...
William Long
...
Levi Adams
...
Luis Gray
...
Luke Brown
yeah. I love stupid-ass chinese movie armour
Jackson Garcia
...
Aiden Baker
These are all great ideas! The more I think about it the more it seems like this would be better for tier 2 or higher PCs, at the beginning they'll be dealing with a lot more local problems. Then they'll have their first mission outside their home county, and when they return they find the invasion well under way.
I definitely want to use giants as the shock troops for the invaders, but who united the bickering northern tribes under one banner? Maybe a mind flayer?
Josiah Foster
...
Elijah Howard
...
Henry Smith
...
Nolan Reed
...
Isaiah Robinson
...
Matthew Rogers
Caption clearly says "finns", who are neither Chinese or Manchu.
Liam Gomez
wonder if the ugrian rider has anything to do with this.